On Sunday, May 12th, SC Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen played out a thrilling 4-4 draw at the Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, a result that has significant implications for both teams’ European aspirations and the Bundesliga title race. Bayer Leverkusen, already confirmed as Bundesliga champions for the first time in their history under Xabi Alonso, demonstrated their attacking flair despite fielding a somewhat rotated squad, likely with an eye on upcoming DFB-Pokal and Europa League commitments. Patrik Schick opened the scoring for Leverkusen in the 18th minute, and Josip Stanisic doubled their lead just five minutes later, putting the visitors in control. However, Freiburg, driven by the need to secure European qualification for the next season, staged a spirited comeback. Matthias Ginter pulled one back in the 27th minute, and Roland Sallai leveled the score with a stunning volley just before halftime. Vincenzo Grifo then gave Freiburg the lead with a penalty early in the second half, energizing the home crowd. Leverkusen responded through Amine Adli in the 64th minute to make it 3-3, setting up a frenetic final quarter of an hour. Freiburg took the lead again with a remarkable goal from Daniel Anieme, but Leverkusen’s substitute, Tino Kadlec, salvaged a point with a late equalizer in stoppage time. The draw keeps Freiburg in contention for a European spot, currently eighth in the Bundesliga table, although their qualification is contingent on the results of other teams competing for European places. For Leverkusen, the result extended their unbeaten run in all competitions this season to 44 games, a testament to Xabi Alonso’s managerial brilliance and the team’s consistent performance throughout the 2023/2024 campaign. With the title already secured, Alonso will aim to maintain this momentum into the DFB-Pokal final against Kaiserslautern and the later stages of the Europa League. The match was a thrilling encounter that showcased the competitive spirit of the Bundesliga and highlighted the attacking prowess of both SC Freiburg, under Christian Streich who is leaving at the end of the season, and the newly crowned champions, Bayer Leverkusen. Both teams will now focus on their remaining fixtures, with Freiburg pushing for European qualification and Leverkusen targeting a historic treble.